Although scales are commonly available for weighing human beings who are ambulatory, it is sometimes difficult and/or cumbersome to weigh humans who are not ambulatory or who are otherwise incapacitated. For example, an incapacitated person in a wheelchair must be wheeled to a scale of the type commonly used to weigh people who can readily step up on such a scale. Then the incapacitated person must be moved to an unsupported standing position on the scale in order to get a reasonably accurate weight measurement. The incapacitated person then must be safely returned to the wheelchair. If the person cannot stand, this weighing procedure is not feasible.
Weighing a severely incapacitated person who is generally confined to a bed, gurney, etc. is an even more difficult task because it generally requires that the incapacitated person be greatly assisted in getting out of, and back into, the bed, gurney, etc. Indeed, in some cases, a sling may be needed to lift a severely incapacitated person out of a bed or gurney for such a weighing. Such a person then may need to be vertically supported in a standing position on a scale. To the extent that vertical support is rendered to that severely incapacitated person, the weight reading is "falsified".
It also is possible to weigh a person who is confined to a wheeled apparatus such as a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, cart and the like by rolling the wheeled apparatus, and the person on it, upon a scale adapted for receiving such a wheeled apparatus. The total combined weight of the person and the wheeled apparatus is thus obtained. At some point in time, it also is necessary to weigh the wheeled apparatus (e.g., a wheelchair) alone in order to subtract the weight of that apparatus from the combined weight of the person (and his or her clothing, bedding, etc.) and the wheeled apparatus. This weighing procedure does not greatly disturb the incapacitated person, but it does require a special type of scale that is not commonly available--and rather expensive.
In short, all of these procedures for weighing incapacitated people are difficult, not well suited to giving accurate weight readings and/or require specialized, expensive, scales. Use of some of these weighing procedures also involves risk of injury to the incapacitated person and/or those attending such a person whenever the incapacitated person is removed from, and returned to, a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, etc.